Are American Liberals (inadvertently) Flacking for Muslim Hardliners?
This isn’t a political blog, and today I really wanted to write about the animals, but that will have to wait. Yesterday I had my first look at Newsweek’s issue on Pakistan, and read this:
“At independence in 1947, the country's whisky-swilling founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, used Islam to forge a sense of national identity.”
Newsweek’s highly unflattering characterization of Pakistan’s founder represents the viewpoint of Muslim hardliners, who fault the Father of the Pakistan Nation for failing to be Islamic enough. The more likely truth is that Jinnah was too Western for their taste. We are disappointed that even Newsweek has bought into this hardliner propaganda, and in doing so insulted the father of the country of our ally. Have American Liberals, have fallen for the jihaddist propaganda that Osama bin Laden says is 90% of their struggle?
Pakistan is suddenly big news. In a desire to distance themselves as far as possible from the policies of George Bush, we hear a mounting drumbeat by Liberal Democrats seeking to be elected for “redeployment” of our troops, which usually boils down to moving American troops from Iraq to Pakistan to go on a hunt for terrorists. Jihaddists want America to fail, so is it any wonder that they want the United States to move the focus of attention from Iran to problems in Pakistan? I cannot think of a faster way to destroy American credibility and honor than to make plans to occupy a friendly nation.
Today, Condoleezza Rice said that Pakistan must go ahead with elections planned for next year, and the United States opposes any move by President Pervez Musharraf to impose martial law. Moderate Pakistanis spend a great deal of time worrying about such a possibility, which, from the evidence, is not an unwarranted concern. On behalf of a pre-election assessment mission of the US National Democratic Institute (NDI), Tom Daschle has just returned from a visit to Pakistan. Daschle’s cordial reception in Pakistan is surprising, given his strong support for “Occupy Pakistan” candidate Barack Obama.
With Pakistan now looming large in the news, there is no need to get your information through the jihaddist filter of the Liberals. Pakistan has no shortage of English speakers and English online publications. At Karachi’s Times, there is a transcript of a very frank exchange by Daschle and members of PILDAT (Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency). which was reported last week, and an op-ed yesterday on election rigging. We would recommend both to you. Pakistan’s future is important to America’s future, and there is no need to take your information second-hand.
Long time readers know of Wilmette’s concern for Pakistani bloggers, who have fought a tireless fight to keep their blogs visible both to themselves and to the world in hopes of a better future for their country, their families, and themselves.
H/t to freedom of speech advocate and Pakistani nationalist, blogger Teeth Maestro (with whom I occasionally agree) for the "Telling it as it is to America" story.
“At independence in 1947, the country's whisky-swilling founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, used Islam to forge a sense of national identity.”
Newsweek’s highly unflattering characterization of Pakistan’s founder represents the viewpoint of Muslim hardliners, who fault the Father of the Pakistan Nation for failing to be Islamic enough. The more likely truth is that Jinnah was too Western for their taste. We are disappointed that even Newsweek has bought into this hardliner propaganda, and in doing so insulted the father of the country of our ally. Have American Liberals, have fallen for the jihaddist propaganda that Osama bin Laden says is 90% of their struggle?
Pakistan is suddenly big news. In a desire to distance themselves as far as possible from the policies of George Bush, we hear a mounting drumbeat by Liberal Democrats seeking to be elected for “redeployment” of our troops, which usually boils down to moving American troops from Iraq to Pakistan to go on a hunt for terrorists. Jihaddists want America to fail, so is it any wonder that they want the United States to move the focus of attention from Iran to problems in Pakistan? I cannot think of a faster way to destroy American credibility and honor than to make plans to occupy a friendly nation.
Today, Condoleezza Rice said that Pakistan must go ahead with elections planned for next year, and the United States opposes any move by President Pervez Musharraf to impose martial law. Moderate Pakistanis spend a great deal of time worrying about such a possibility, which, from the evidence, is not an unwarranted concern. On behalf of a pre-election assessment mission of the US National Democratic Institute (NDI), Tom Daschle has just returned from a visit to Pakistan. Daschle’s cordial reception in Pakistan is surprising, given his strong support for “Occupy Pakistan” candidate Barack Obama.
With Pakistan now looming large in the news, there is no need to get your information through the jihaddist filter of the Liberals. Pakistan has no shortage of English speakers and English online publications. At Karachi’s Times, there is a transcript of a very frank exchange by Daschle and members of PILDAT (Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency). which was reported last week, and an op-ed yesterday on election rigging. We would recommend both to you. Pakistan’s future is important to America’s future, and there is no need to take your information second-hand.
Long time readers know of Wilmette’s concern for Pakistani bloggers, who have fought a tireless fight to keep their blogs visible both to themselves and to the world in hopes of a better future for their country, their families, and themselves.
H/t to freedom of speech advocate and Pakistani nationalist, blogger Teeth Maestro (with whom I occasionally agree) for the "Telling it as it is to America" story.
posted by Publia at 9:35 AM
3 Comments:
Publia,
Great and important post. Many thanks to you and the Teeth Maestro. I guess that you wrote about a different menagerie today.
I am very concerned about the Democrat rhetoric on Pakistan. Every so often I try to do a serious post when I feel the subject is not adequately covered elsewhere. If you like politics, Pakistan is fascinating, and if you like freedom of speech causes, the cause of the Pakistani bloggers is an important one, and mostly receiving support only from Republicans.
Heya,
Unfortunately our paths cross again in less than happy circumstances.
Dawn News has finally gone online - it's coverage has been solid so far. And since distribution of news channels is still banned (in urban Pakistan people mostly access private TV channels via cable), the channels are still reporting bravely.
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